SpaceX BFR - Earth to Earth - Anywhere on Earth in 60 minutes or less.

[I Push Buttons]

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-41441877

So Elon Musk revealed plans to use SpaceX's new Mars rocket, called BFR (Big Falcon Rocket) for transportation across Earth as well; allowing for trips anywhere on Earth in less than 60 minutes (most flights around 30 minutes, 50+ minute flights are to the literal opposite side of the planet). He claimed the cost per seat would be about the same as full fare economy in an aircraft.



Do you think this is a realistic goal? I don't doubt the flight times, but the cost per seat... Seems pretty crazy if it is actually that cheap.

[XDurionX]

Big words are Musks business. He relies on them more than on actually achieving anything. There will be no hyperloop and there will be no passenger rockets in the next 30 years.

[Bombercloner]

I imagine riding on a 'flight' like this would nauseating to the average person. Never been in a rocket though.

[TheDestinatus]

Nothing like a radiation dose to make your quick flight more awesome.

[Afrospinach]

Do you think this is a realistic goal? I don't doubt the flight times, but the cost per seat... Seems pretty crazy if it is actually that cheap.

At this point this guy maybe be the foremost opinion in the economics of rocket travel, though I do think he is often compromised by optimism.

Oh yeah, hyperloop is not going to happen, not the way it is slated.



I was also lead to believe by the BBC that BFR meant big fucking rocket. Now that is going to stick.

[Lahis]

Only reason something like this isn't already in use is the ridiculous cost of getting stuff on the low orbit. I don't really see how rockets could become economic enough to be used on Earth to Earth travel.

Earth to other parts of the Solar System, sure (like there were any other way) but just hopping from one part of the same planet to another doesn't seem feasible. Maybe on Mars and smaller bodies.

[Mister K]

Big words are Musks business. He relies on them more than on actually achieving anything. There will be no hyperloop and there will be no passenger rockets in the next 30 years.

He hasn't achieve anything? Even if Tesla and Musk have not invented anything, they are driving our future, they're driving it at a faster pace than otherwise it would. It's irrelevant what happens. He has the money, he is spending it on the right course. Whether it happens or not, is totally irrelevant, it drives us forward regardless of the failure rate.

Also you are wrong, 30 years ago today the world was a very different place. A lot can happen in 30 years. Pessimism in todays age is (innovation wise) is not the greatest mindset. Nothing gets achieved with pessimism, maybe survival in certain cases.

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Only reason something like this isn't already in use is the ridiculous cost of getting stuff on the low orbit. I don't really see how rockets could become economic enough to be used on Earth to Earth travel.

Earth to other parts of the Solar System, sure (like there were any other way) but just hopping from one part of the same planet to another doesn't seem feasible. Maybe on Mars and smaller bodies.

In the next 30 years they will get cheaper. However, I can see large corporations and governments using this for meetings and so forth...

[Underverse]

That seems like something that could be very easily hijacked and weaponized

[Tackhisis]

they are driving our future

They are driving our future by making 2,250 kg 2-seat cars that have a programmably locked battery? That's... peculiar.

[Lahis]

That seems like something that could be very easily hijacked and weaponized

You can already ram a plane into a building. Plus those are easier to pilot while in atmosphere.

[Independent voter]

He hasn't achieve anything? Even if Tesla and Musk have not invented anything, they are driving our future, they're driving it at a faster pace than otherwise it would. It's irrelevant what happens. He has the money, he is spending it on the right course. Whether it happens or not, is totally irrelevant, it drives us forward regardless of the failure rate.

Also you are wrong, 30 years ago today the world was a very different place. A lot can happen in 30 years. Pessimism in todays age is (innovation wise) is not the greatest mindset. Nothing gets achieved with pessimism, maybe survival in certain cases.

This was my thought as well, he's basically created a private NASA and one of the first successful car companies in decades, two huge accomplishments.

Nothing wrong with dreaming.

All the negativity back home is likely why he immigrated to the US.

[Mister K]

They are driving our future by making 2,250 kg 2-seat cars that have a programmably locked battery? That's... peculiar.

People used to complain about Internet and here we are.
People used to complain about airplanes back in the Wright brothers era.

Sure, its not economical but this is an emerging tech.

Pioneering is important.

[I Push Buttons]

That seems like something that could be very easily hijacked and weaponized

How so? This thing will take off, fly, and then land, fully via remote control. Automated remote control at that.

[zorkuus]

60 minutes to fly, 2 days to test if you can handle the G's.

[Deleted]

You get bathed in radiation just on your regular intercontinental flights.

lol, please stop commenting

[Acidbaron]

Important to note is that ideas like this what are crazy can inspire young people to pursue a career in engineering or science in general. Something we have a shortage off pretty much anywhere.

I also find it good that these ideas are not coming first from a military perspective as many things often have been in the past.

[Jeezy911]

Our society is not worthy of Elon Musk. He is worth like 20 billion dollars, I doubt he is doing this "for the money."

[Deleted]

Our society is not worthy of Elon Musk. He is worth like 20 billion dollars, I doubt he is doing this "for the money."

What made you even think he is doing it for the money?

[Nerraw]

Big words are Musks business. He relies on them more than on actually achieving anything. There will be no hyperloop and there will be no passenger rockets in the next 30 years.

Nobody thought he'd actually get to reuse rockets a year ago. Two years ago no one thought he'd ever land a rocket safely. 7 years before that no one thought he'd even get to orbit. His timeframes may be, shall we say, optimistic, but he hasn't failed to deliver yet. It'll probably take more than a decade to be readily available, but three? Hah.

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I imagine riding on a 'flight' like this would nauseating to the average person. Never been in a rocket though.

https://youtu.be/yaVVns_sTGY?t=16m45s

At the timestamp. Guy in the back seemed to be enjoying himself on the way up.

[XDurionX]

Also you are wrong, 30 years ago today the world was a very different place. A lot can happen in 30 years. Pessimism in todays age is (innovation wise) is not the greatest mindset. Nothing gets achieved with pessimism, maybe survival in certain cases.

In the next 30 years they will get cheaper. However, I can see large corporations and governments using this for meetings and so forth...

30 years ago people believed everyone had flying cars by now. Hyperloop will never be more than a glorified monorail in a tube and will never be operating near vacuum. Commercial rockets of this scope won't work either, considering the necessity to get rid of fossile fuels alltogether. He is a dreamer and he has a lot of money, wich is cool for him. But some basic understanding of science wouldn't hurt, either.

Tesla cars are cool, but that's not really something not anyone with his ressources could have build. It's state of the art, but it's not futuristic or avantgarde or anything like that.